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Propane-Fuelled Vehicles

Advantages

  • The carbon footprint of propane is lower than many other fuels, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by as much as 20%, when compared with gasoline
  • Compared to gasoline and diesel vehicles, propane-fuelled vehicles produce lower amounts of particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbon and GHG emissions
  • Cold start problems can be reduced by using the gaseous form of the air and fuel mixture

Disadvantages

  • Because liquid propane is about 35% less energy dense than gasoline on a volume to volume basis, a greater quantity of propane is required to travel the same distance as gasoline

Propane is a clean-burning, gaseous fuel that can be pressurized and stored as a liquid for use in powering cars and light-duty trucks. Generally speaking, propane-powered vehicles produce cleaner exhaust with fewer pollutants. Liquid propane injection (LPI) technology offers several environmental benefits, including a significant reduction in GHG emissions (up to 20%), nitrogen oxide emissions (20%) and carbon monoxide emissions (60%) when compared to similar-sized gasoline engines.

When used in vehicles, propane is stored under a moderate pressure in tanks that regulate pressure levels in response to sudden changes in temperature. Tanks are filled to an 80% maximum capacity in order to account for these changes in pressure levels.

Liquid propane is converted into gaseous form by a regulator or vapourizer, which also controls the supply of propane to the engine. Once converted, the gas is then mixed with filtered air before entering the combustion chambers.

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Transcript and Alternative Formats

Liquid propane is about 35% less energy dense than gasoline on a volume to volume basis. As such, a greater quantity of propane is required to travel the same distance as gasoline. This is offset by how much more efficiently the engine runs using the gaseous form of the fuel.

The latest generation of propane-fuelled vehicles are equipped with advanced computer control units and direct injection that precisely regulate fuel delivery

Detailed Information

Roush Liquid Propane Gas Retrofit Module Installed in a Ford E-150 Econoline Van

Date modified:
2011-03-08